Anti-fungal agent

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an antifungal agent which is effective against cryptococcosis. The present invention provides an antifungal agent comprising ravuconazole as an active ingredient, wherein the agent is administered to an animal suffering from cryptococcosis. Further, the present invention provides an antifungal agent comprising ravuconazole as an active ingredient, wherein the agent is administered to an animal suffering from cryptococcus that is resistant to triazole-based antifungal agents selected from the group consisting of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for treating an animal suffering from cryptococcosis, comprising administering to the animal a therapeutically effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of ravuconazole, a prodrug of ravuconazole, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates and solvates thereof, wherein the animal suffering from cryptococcosis is an animal suffering from a  Cryptococcus  resistant to at least two antifungal agent selected from the group consisting of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the  Cryptococcus  is  Cryptococcus neoformans  var.  grubii.    
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the animal suffering from cryptococcosis is an animal infected with an immunodeficiency virus or a leukemia virus. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a human. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a cat. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the prodrug of ravuconazole is fosravuconazole. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound is L-lysine ethanol adduct of fosravuconazole.